In what many fans in attendance are calling a five star classic, ROH champion Austin Aries narrowly avoided losing his title to “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen during the semi-main of New Year’s Madness Two.

The semi-annual “Madness” shows are put on by legendary Quebec wrestling trainer Marc the Grizzly. Because Marc is respected all across the province, he is able to get cooperation from many wrestling federations and arrange matches that would otherwise never happen. In this case, the show featured wrestlers from the IWS, NCW, EWR, MWF, CPW, FLQ, CWA and ROH.

The show took place in the historic NDR Center, home to NCW. The hall was as packed as I have ever seen it, despite the fact that Saturday was bitterly cold. There were easily 400 people in attendance and the actual number in attendance could have been higher. The night was huge success for Marc despite the fact that John Walters, the ROH Pure Wrestling champ was unable to make the show when his connecting flight in Boston from Ghana was snowed in. Jack Evans had previously cancelled his appearance due to an injury last week during the WAR show in California.

The quick and dirty results:

Giovanni (EWR) beat J-Bustah (Connecticut) with a fireman’s carry power bomb at 5:46.

In a six-pack challenge, the Triple X “Sex XXXpress” Sexxxy Eddy (IWS) hit his Total XXXtacy reverse swanton to pin Damian (IWS) at 11:46. The other participants in the match were Beef Wellington (IWS), Kid Kamikaze (IWS), Mr. Xtreme (EWR) and HellStorm (EWR).

Michael Von Payton (CPW) and Tank (FLQ) beat the team of Kurt Lauderdale (IWS) and Nova Cain (NCW) in a battle of some of the biggest men in the province of Quebec. MVP pinned Nova Cain at 10:43 after a tilt-a-whirl slam.

The Flying Hurricanes defended their IWS tag team titles beating the team of TNT Action (CWA) when Takao power bombed his own partner from the top rope with the Unpredictable Motion after 8:13.

Franky the Mobster defended his IWS title beating Roderick Strong with a sit-out choke slam after 13:22. This is the second time that Roderick Strong has tried to win the IWS title and failed. He previously lost to Kevin Steen in an IWS title match during a JAPW show last year. (If memory serves, Halloween Hell.)

Kevin Steen (IWS) won a four-way match to earn the right to face Austin Aries for the ROH title pinning El Generico (IWS) after 18:14. The other two participants in the match were former ROH champion Samoa Joe and ExesS (IWS).

In a Four Way Tag Team Scramble Match, the team of BushWhacker Fred and BushWhacker Viking pinned the Latino Brothers after 17:08. The other two teams in the match were Adrenaline Rush (NCW) and the odd pairing of James Kraven (NCW) and the Arsenal (ex-IWS). Originally the fourth team in the match was supposed to be le SLI from IWS, but before the match started the owner of the IWS, PCP Crazy F’N Manny, came to the ring and announced that he wasn’t going to allow one of his premier tag teams to compete in a match with a man that he had fired - the Arsenal – instead at great expense ($50) he had flown in from New Zealand the BushWhackers.

NCW Champion Chakal defended his title in 10:49, beating Handsome JF, a student of Jacques Rougeau Jr. who appeared on Sunday Night Heat last fall.

In a four way high-flying match featuring NCW cruiser-weight champion Alex Price and Dan Paysan (IWS), the EWR champion Crazy Crusher pinned Player Uno (MWF) with his Inferno Death, a fireman’s carry slam after 12:20.

As mentioned above, in an officially sanctioned ROH title match, Austin Aries defeated Kevin Steen with a 450 splash after 17:04. Kevin Steen, who was given the nickname “Mr. Wrestling” by the IWS fans, will make his official ROH debut on February 19th, during the Do or Die afternoon show. Ironically, Kevin has already fought for the ROH title twice, losing to Aries last night and battling Joe to a hard-fought draw during Mid-Summer Madness in July.

In the Main Event, Pierre Carl Ouellet defeated CM Punk after 15:17 nearly taking Punk’s head off with a “Peace-Liner”

I’ll have more detailed results on the IWS message board later on today or tomorrow, including a few words on the crowd’s reaction to the Chakal/Handsome JF match which was probably the worst reaction of a crowd to a match that I have ever seen, especially on a night when the crowd was hot for virtually every match, enthusiastically heckling the heels and cheering for their heroes.

News and Notes from the IWS

IWS Violent Valentines at LE DOME

The International Wrestling Syndicate is pleased to announce that we have just signed to present our Violent Valentines show at le Club Dome on Friday, February 25th. Located in the heart of downtown, 32 Sainte-Catherine West, a mere block from Metro Saint-Laurent, the Dome has been one of the most popular Night Clubs in Montreal for years.

Known as a gathering spot for the prettiest and friendliest women in Montreal and ideally suited to host wrestling events, the Dome has one of the best lighting and sound systems in Montreal. They look forward to hosting the hardcore fans of the IWS.

The IWS is also pleased to announce that immediately following Violent Valentines, we will be hosting a wet t-shirt contest.

Tickets for Violent Valentines are fifteen dollars in advance or at the door. Door opens at nine pm, show starts at ten pm. Fans with advance tickets will be allowed in first and will have first choice of seats. There will no reserved seats for this show.

Beginning with Violent Valentines and Un F’N Sanctioned, IWS fans will be able to purchase VIP tickets in advance for our events allowing them to enter first and choose their seats first. There will no longer be reserved seats for our events. We will only be printing enough VIP tickets to cover the first three rows by the ring and once those tickets are gone, they are gone.

These tickets can be purchased in person from Brian the Guppie, Fred la Merveille, Dan Paysan, or Player Uno. They can also be purchased from our DJ Tony at the Superclub Videotron on 10410 Pie IX. They can also be purchased on-line. For more details contact Llakor@hotmail.com

Un F’N Sanctioned News

As IWS fans know our shows at the Medley are the shows where we pull out all the stops. Our Fans Bring the Weapons matches happen at best just once a year and are known for being the most insane hardcore matches seen in Canada. Either separately have to be seen to be believed, but when you combine the two in one show, it becomes a must see show.

Saturday, March 26th the IWS present Un F’N Sanctioned. The main event will be Fans Bring the Weapons. The participants for the main event are not yet known. They will be announced during Violent Valentines.

What we can announce is that Beef Wellington has had his “Inter-Species Open Challenge” answered in a dramatic fashion. At last week’s NCW show “Nuit du Blizzard” after a six man IWS match in which Team Wellington (Beef, Viking and Kenny the Bastard) beat the Kid Kamikaze Experience featuring Damian and Kevin Steen, Beef Wellington grabbed the mike to repeat his challenge to any animal to come face him at Un F’N Sanctioned on March 26th. Brian the Guppie interrupted Beef to inform him that IWS Commissioner Joseph FitzMorris had found an opponent to answer Beef’s challenge: Super-Dragon! As Beef put it that night, “On March 26th, I am going to get killed.”

The IWS is also pleased to announce that performing live during Un F’N Sanctioned will be renowned horror metal band The Ghoulunatics. Long-time fans of the IWS, the Ghoulunatics have written a song about the Fans Bring the Weapons match called “Bestial Behaviour” which they have waiting for more than a year to play live before the actual match. They will get their chance on March 26th. Don’t miss this unique blend of music, wrestling and the most insane hardcore match ever presented in Canada! For more information on the band: http://www.ghoulunatics.com